The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-01-08
-ANARROW ESCAPE
FROM A VERY DISASTROUS FIRE.
The Zane Diock, on Main Street North OF
Twelfth, Damaged By q Blaze OF Mys-
tsrious Origin Good Work by tho
D IN Department Prevents big Losses.

Shortly after eleven o'clock yesterday
forenoon Ere broke out In the rear oithe
large.business block on Main street, be-
tween Eleventh and Twelfth, formerly oc.
cupied by E. NJ. McGlliin & Co., and
belonging to the Hampden Zane and
PlatoG Zane estates, respectively. The
block Ia in three divisions, HOO, I'LL and
ITS. The fire originated in q sort Of an
area way in tho rear Of I'LL, and also just
atthe rear Of tho eating house kept by
man named scholl, on Water street. Mrr.
schell, Of this house, says she was In the
back yard about II o'clock, at q hydrant,
when she heard sort Of an explosion,
and looking up cav flames bursting from
beneath the rear OF No. I'LL Main street.
She ran to a neivhbor'a and telcphoned
an alarm 10 tho Atlantic engine house. <
The flames gained rapid Roadway, and
soon black, dense smoke was pouring out
OF tho doors and windows on Main street.
Agent Merriman, Of tho Adams Express
Company, saw the smoke pouring out,
and, running to the corner OF Twelfth and
Main street, sent III a gsneral alarm. The
Atlantic forca had supposed from the still
alarm that the fro did not amount to
anything and responded without sending
out AL alarm. 1t was half way TO the hro
when the alarm was rung. The other
apparatus was also promptly on hand.
BY this time the LINES wete raging
tercely in the store room at I'LL, aud
black smoke waa pouring out OF the win
dows Of the rooms on either aide. The
department worked at q disadvantage but
ntendily gained on the flames; and after II
long and hard fight had them under con-
troll, after which they were quickly .xiin.
guished. @2' 9as.l
1t is fortunate that the building was
empty. Had 1t been otherwise the loss
would have necessarily been heavier than
at any fire in the city for years. AS It was
the damage will not exceed ST 500, mud
may fall below $1,000. The upper por-
ton ia part Of the Plstoff Z,ne estate, and
the lower OF tho Hampdea, Zane estate.
PlstoE Zane, j., OF the firm Of Zane &
Stalnaker, hss charge OF both. The two
buidingu are insured in the Anderson 4
Atkinson agency's companies Tor ST., 600
each 5,#EH.y !tHI
The theory has been advanced that the
FIRE was due 10 leaking gas from the city
pipes which had accumulated in such
quantity as to cause the explosion. This
theory lacks p!ausibility, as tbs inquiry al
once arises how the gas was ignited. Mrs.
schell says she complained to the city gas
officials repeatedly about the leaking gas.
This il true, and the books at the office
show that twics men we're gent to the
place to hunt for a leak, but neither time
could one be found. The gas ia two Of
the houses Is turned OF, and tho metres
have baen taken out. In the third, G
careful examination after the FIRE showed
that no leak existed. R@... Is 80
The correct theory is doubtless, that 0
match or cigar stump was thrown among
some rubbish in close proximity 10 where
the fire originated.
During tho height Of the fire the suction
pips Of the Atlantic engine burst. Il was
about seven years old. a new one vpu
supplied. 9gS', +.
The Woman's Exchange Invited the
men OF the departsent to the rooms Of
the Exchange and furnished them sub
atsnslsl and we'll gntten up meal for which
they ezprssseI their Heartbeat appreeia-
tim .r'f'..U rr ItaF